Scott Sanders

April 13, 1986 | Marilyn Carpenter, Carpenter is the editor of "Booknotes," a publication about children's books. and

"Certain songs haunt us, loop and loop through the mind, sometimes because of their melodies, sometimes because of the stories they tell." In these words from the introduction to this collection of short stories, Scott Sanders describes the haunting nature of folk songs. Inspired by their brief plots, Sanders has chosen 20 traditional American folk songs and has told his own versions of their stories.

Two San Diego Padre players were arrested Tuesday for allegedly propositioning undercover policewomen on a Manhattan street corner often frequented by prostitutes. Pitcher Scott Sanders and outfielder Derek Bell were arrested around 2 a.m. EDT on a misdemeanor charge of patronizing a prostitute. The arrests came 18 hours before they were due at Shea Stadium to play the New York Mets.

THE late John Gregory Dunne was fond of observing that writers naturally divide into two groups: those who are utterly preoccupied with the drama of their own lives and those who are fundamentally indifferent to it. In that taxonomy, Scott Russell Sanders stands firmly among the preoccupied, as his quietly -- but deeply -- moving book "A Private History of Awe" indicates.

Re: Rumsfeld Bars U.N. Visits With Detainees The United States' refusal to let human rights investigators from the United Nations meet with detainees at Guantanamo Bay is in keeping with a well-established U.S. policy: All nations other than the U.S. or its allies must fully comply with U.N.-authorized investigations. Syrians don't get the newspaper, do they? SCOTT SANDERS Long Beach

Sony Pictures Entertainment has announced it has signed a five-year deal with Tony-winning Broadway producer Scott Sanders to adapt the studio's films for the stage. First up in the studio's extensive catalog? The 1982 comedy "Tootsie," which starred Dustin Hoffman in drag. As part of the deal, Sony has purchased a 20% equity stake in the 5-year-old Scott Sanders Theatrical Productions, multiple news outlets have reported. A dollar amount was not disclosed. Sanders' prior screen-to-stage credits include "The Color Purple" and "The Pee-wee Herman Show.

Oprah Winfrey, who made her name as an actress in the 1985 film "The Color Purple," will co-produce a new Broadway musical based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning book. The producers said Monday that Winfrey would make a "seven-figure investment" in the musical version of "The Color Purple," which draws on both the book and the film. The show opens in New York in December after running in previews starting Nov. 1.

Pitcher Roger Pavlik was put on the 15-day disabled list by the Texas Rangers on Friday because of a broken right index finger. Pavlik was hurt Thursday when hit with a grounder by Tampa Bay's Quinton McCracken. The right-hander, 1-1 with a 3.86 earned-run average, is expected to be sidelined a minimum of three weeks. To fill his roster spot, Texas purchased the contract of right-hander Al Levine from Oklahoma City of the triple-A Pacific Coast League.

Add "The Color Purple" to Broadway's financial hit column. The stage version of Alice Walker's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel has recouped its $11-million investment -- less than a year after opening in New York, producer Scott Sanders said Friday. The musical, the story of a determined black woman's triumph over adversity, has grossed more than $60 million since opening Dec. 1, 2005, at the Broadway Theatre, one of New York's largest playhouses. It has been seen by almost 750,000 theater-goers.